Trunk



(o Model.) t

.. GUNSEL.

, TRUNK. 1 N0. 305,385. f Patented Sept. 16, 1884.

fu Velilla:

`iai-.rre rares n'rENr Erice@ TRUNK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 305,385, dated September 16, 1884.

Application filed May 12, 1884. (No model.)`

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES GNSEL, av

citizen of the United States, residing in N ewark, Essex county, New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trunks with Falling Fronts, fully described and represented in the following specication and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

The object of this construction is to afford easy access to the interior of the trunk with aslittle disturbance of the contents as possible; and the object of the present invention is partly to add strength to the ends of the trunk, which of necessityT cannot be immovabl y xed to the front, by means of nails, screws, or similar devices, and also to strengthen the front of the trunk and keep it more securely closed in front when not locked.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents the trunk with the lid A and the falling front B partially open, exposing the permanent or xed tray (l, and showing on the slats or battens D the positions of the end. fastenings, which are more particularly illustrated in Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5. On the front of the permanent tray C are represented two springs, s, which serve to throw open the front B when released from the fastenings, all of which springs andfastenings' are of brass or other metals. spective the spring-catches shown on the ends of the trunk D, secured upon the slats E; and Figs.`4. and 5 represent alternative construetions for such catches. Fig. 6 represents in perspective the catch shown at G upon the lid A, and Fig. 7 the spring and seat upon the falling front B in Fig. l.

The objects of my invent-ion are aecomplished by applying springcatches to the ends D of the trunk, as well as to the lid A, and as the operator cannot readily fasten or unfasten all four of these catches at once, I make them all capable of self-locking, and construct two of them with means for shifting the spring from its operative position and resting it upon a seat, where it is held unlocked while the operator disengages the other two catches.`

In Figpl G are two platessecured to the front edge of the lid, and provided each with a beveled catch or lug, a, a guide-rib, a', and a tenon or dowel, Z).

Figs. 2 and 3 represent in per-` `G G are two plates secured upon the falling front adjacent tothe plates G G, and having each a springe, pivoted near its lower end by a rivet, d, and a slot,` e, near its upper" end, to engage with the lug a when thelid is closed. Figs. 6 and 7 show the construction of these plates, and the latter figure shows in dotted lines c2 how the spring c may be turned about its pivot so as to avoid engaging with the lug a, when desired.

f II is a stop near one edge of the spring, and I a seat upon the plate G, near ltheopposite edge, upon which the spring may be rested when disengaged by the operator.

L L represent the fastening at ,the ends of the trunk, L being plates secured upon a cleat, E', Xed across the falling front, and having guide-ribs l Z and beveled lugs a, formed at their ends like the lugs on plates G. L are plates fixed on the ends, and provided each l with a spring, c, as on the plates G', but not pivoted as upon the latter, and having a dowel, I), adapted to tit in a socket, b, in the plate L, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5.

The front is provided with hinges M N at its lower corners, and the several springs are constructed to engage the four lugs a when the lid and front are fully closed, and to thus lock it and hold it Securely closed.

Sockets are formed in the ends of the plates G to receive the dowels b on the plates G, and when the front is thus engaged with the four dowels and spring-catches it is held from pulling outward and in turn holds the ends of the trunk from yielding. An alternative construction'for the end catches is shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the change consisting merely in forming Vthe springs with hooks e', instead of the slots @,and shaping vthe lugs a upon the plates L to iit such hooks.

The sockets b are indicated in the figures chieiiy by .dotted lines, as their apertures are covered by the lugs a.

Ihe operation of these fastenings is as follows: The Springs are adjusted to press upon the plates G and L, and thus to automatically engage with the lugs a when the front and lid are closed. To unlock and open the front B, the operator uncatches the springs on the plates G and turns them sidewise, so as to rest upon the seats I. His hands are then free to lift the lid of the trunk, after which he de- IOO taches the springs at the ends of the trunk, and the front is thrown forward by the inside springs, s. IIe then pushes the springs c on the plates G offl of the seats'I and against the 5 stops II, which leaves them in readiness to spring automatically over the lugs on the plates G when the lid is again closed.

It is obvious that 'the catches upon the lid may be modiiied, like the end catches shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

It will be seen that the location of the catches at L L upon the cleats E Ef serves to bind the front to the trunk in the strongest possible manner. Y v

I am fully aware that it is not new to use dowels or springs of the kind I employ in trunk-catches, and therefore disclaim such elements outside of the combination I have devised and claimed herein.

Below the fixed tray C this class of trunks is usually provided with drawers, but the same kare not shown'herein, as they form no part of my invention and would only confuse the drawlngs.

A lock with a key of any kind may be attached to the lid A and front B to prevent the opening of the trunk, except by the owner;

but such is not shown hereimas it forms no part of myinvention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 3o as follows: y

`1. In a' trunk having a falling front, the combination, with the lid A and front B, of the catch constructed, as herein described,with the plate G, having beveled lugs a and dowcl b, and the plate G, provided with a socket, b', for the dowel, the Vspring c, pivoted at d, and the stop H and seat I, the whole arranged and operated as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a trunk having a falling front, the combination, with the lid A, front B, and ends I), of a set of spring-catches applied to the ends, as described, at L L', and a set of springcatches applied to the lid, and constructed with seats, as at I, to hold the springs disengaged while the lid is raised, as and for the purpose set forth. v

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses CHARLES GNsEL. Witnesses:

PH. STUMPF, F. W. RICORD. 

